Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t8hqh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-25T04:59:46.210Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The Relations Between Carbon Isotope Composition and Apparent Age of Freshwater Tufaceous Sediments

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 July 2016

Anna Pazdur*
Affiliation:
Radiocarbon Laboratory, Institute of Physics, Silesian Technical University, Krzywoustego 2, PL-44-100 Gliwice, Poland
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

This paper presents a synthetic approach to 14C dating of calcareous tufa, based on statistical analysis of correlations betwen lithologic type of tufaceous sediment, carbon isotope composition, and apparent age. Experimental data on several profiles from southern Poland and the United Kingdom reveal either constant or systematically changing values of apparent age. Constant value of apparent age in a profile can be attributed to calcareous muds precipitated from stagnant or low-energy water, and to tufas precipitated from turbulent water (oncoids, stromatolites, moss travertines) which are characterized by lack of significant correlation between δ 13C and 14C age of tufa carbonate. It was found that the relation between the apparent age of tufaceous sediment and δ 13C value of tufa carbonate depends on lithologic type of tufa. Phenomenological equations describing the dependence of apparent age upon δ 13C are given, and applied to estimate true ages of tufas from Gliczarów (southern Poland) and Folkestone (United Kingdom).

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The American Journal of Science 

References

Alexandrowicz, S W, 1985, Malacofauna of the Holocene calcareous tufa from Podhale and Pieniny Mts, in Carpatho-Balkan Assoc, cong, 13th, Proc Repts: Geol Inst Cracow, p 710.Google Scholar
Benson, L V, 1978, Fluctuation in the level of pluvial Lake Lahontan during the last 40,000 years: Quaternary Research, v 9, p 300318.Google Scholar
Broecker, W S and Walton, A, 1959, The geochemistry of C14 in fresh-water systems: Geochim et Cosmochim Acta, v 16, p 1538.Google Scholar
Dandurand, J L, Gout, R, Hoefs, J, Menschel, G, Schott, J and Usdowski, E, 1982, Kinetically controlled variations of major components and carbon and oxygen isotopes in calcite-precipitating spring: Chemical Geol, v 36, p 299315.Google Scholar
Eichinger, L, 1983, A contribution to the interpretation of 14C groundwater ages considering the example of a partially confined aquifer, in Stuiver, M and Kra, R S, Internatl 14C conf, 11th, Proc: Radiocarbon, v 25, no. 2, p 347356.Google Scholar
Friedman, I, 1970, Some investigations of the deposition of travertine from hot springs. I. The isotopic chemistry of a travertine depositing spring: Geochim et Cosmochim Acta, v 34, p 13031315.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Geyh, M A, 1970, Zeitliche Abgrenzungen von Klimaänderungen mit 14C—Daten von Kalksinter und organischen Substanzen: Geol Jahrb, v 98, p 1522.Google Scholar
Geyh, M A, 1983, Use of stable isotopes for reconstruction of paleoclimatic conditions: Quaternary Studies in Poland, v 4, p 6171.Google Scholar
Krajcar, I, Horvatincic, N, Srdoc, D and Obelic, B, 1985, On the initial C activity in Karst aquifers with short mean residence time, in Internatl 14C conf, 12th, Abs: Trondheim, Tapir, p 154.Google Scholar
Michaelis, J, Usdowski, E and Menschel, G, 1985, Partitioning of 13C and 12C on the degassing of CO2 and the precipitation of calcite-Rayleigh-type fractionation and a kinetic model: Am Jour Sci, v 285, no. 4, p 318327.Google Scholar
Mook, W G, 1976, The dissolution-exchange model for dating groundwater with 14C, in Interpretation of environmental and isotope data in groundwater hydrology: IAEA, Vienna, p 213225.Google Scholar
Mook, W G, 1980, Carbon-14 in hydrogeological studies, in Fritz, P and Fontes, J Ch, eds, Handbook of environmental isotope geochemistry, vol 1, The terrestrial environment-Amsterdam, Elsevier, p 4974.Google Scholar
Pazdur, A and Pazdur, M F, 1986, 14C dating of calcareous tufa from different environments, in Stuiver, M and Kra, R S, eds, Internatl 14C conf, 12th, Proc: Radiocarbon, v 28 no 2A p 534538.Google Scholar
Pazdur, A, Pazdur, M F and Szulc, J, 1988, Radiocarbon dating of Holocene calcareous tufa in southern Poland: Radiocarbon, v 30, in press.Google Scholar
Pearson, F J Jr, 1965, Use of 13C/12C ratios to correct radiocarbon ages of materials initially diluted by limestones, in Chatters, R M and Olson, E A, eds, Internatl conf on 14C and tritium dating, 6th, Proc: Clearinghouse for fed sci and tech inf, Natl Bur Standards, Washington, DC, p 357366.Google Scholar
Srdoc, D, Horvatincic, N, Obelic, B and Sliepcevic, A, 1982, Rudjer Boskovic Institute radiocarbon measurements VII: Radiocarbon, v 24, p 352371.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Srdoc, D, Horvatincic, N, Obelic, B and Sliepcevic, A, 1983, Radiocarbon dating of tufa in paleoclimatic studies, in Stuiver, M and Kra, R S, eds, Internatl 14C conf, 11th, Proc: Radiocarbon, v 25, no. 2, p 421427.Google Scholar
Srdoc, D, Obelic, B, Horvatincic, N and Sliepcevic, A, 1980, Radiocarbon dating of calcareous tufa: How reliable results can we expect? in Stuiver, M and Kra, R S, eds, Internatl 14C conf, 10th, Proc: Radiocarbon, v 22, no. 3, p 858862.Google Scholar
Stuiver, M and Polach, H A, 1977, Discussion: Reporting of 14C data: Radiocarbon, v 19, no 3, p 355363.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Szulc, J (ms), 1984, Sedimentation of the Quaternary travertines in southern Poland: Ph D thesis, Pol Acad Sci, Cracow.Google Scholar
Szulc, J (ms), 1986, Holocene travertine deposits of the Cracow Upland, in IAS European mtg, 7th: Excursion Guidebook, Cracow, p 185189.Google Scholar
Thorpe, P M, Holydak, D T, Preece, R C and Willing, M J, 1981, Validity of corrected 14C dates from calcareous tufa, in Formations carbonatées externes, tufs et travertins: Actes Colloques AGF, Paris, p 151156.Google Scholar
Thorpe, P M, Otlet, R L and Sweeting, M M, 1980, Hydrological implications from 14C profiling of UK tufa, in Stuiver, M and Kra, R S, eds, Internatl 14C conf, 10th, Proc: Radiocarbon, v 22, no. 3, p 897908.Google Scholar
Usdowski, E, Hoefs, J and Menschel, G, 1979, Relationship between 13C and 18O fractionation and changes in major element composition in a recent calcite-depositing spring: a model of chemical variations with inorganic CaCO3 precipitation: Earth Planetary Sci Letters, v 42, p 267276.Google Scholar
Vogel, J C, 1970, Carbon-14 dating of groundwater, in Isotope Hydrology: IAEA, Vienna p 225239.Google Scholar